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Turkey.
Voyaging Among the Dodecanese of Greece and Turkey

Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul

Upon arrival in Istanbul, you will be met by our transfer agent after passing through customs and driven to your hotel. Meet your guide in the hotel lobby in the afternoon for a stroll through the streets of the old city. You walk through the University Square to the mosque complex of Suleiman the Magnificent, the exquisite work of architect Sinan the Great. Continue into the Grand Bazaar and through back streets behind the Spice Market leading to the busy promenade of the Golden Horn. Enjoy an introduction to authentic Turkish cuisine in a local restaurant overlooking the busy ferry boats on the Bosphorus and Golden Horn.

Day 2: Istanbul

Explore the grandeur of ancient Constantinople. Visit splendid relics of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires including the Topkapi Palace, 400-year-old Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), and 2000-year-old Roman Hippodrome, the Underground Cistern and the Hagia Sophia Church miraculously built in the first half of the 6th century, by Emperor Justinianus. If time and interest permit stroll through part of the Kapali Carsi (covered bazaar) and spice market. Around sunset board a commuter ferry, joining local Istanbulians as they return home from work; a journey that reveals palaces, lavishly restored Ottoman homes and embassies on both the European and Asian sides of the Bosphorus. Enjoy a traditional Turkish dinner in a restaurant offering a creative menu

Day 3: Fly to Izmir - Ephesus - Sirince Village

Transfer to the airport for morning flight to Izmir and drive to the Selcuk (1 hour). Upon arrival, you are met and driven to Ephesus (45 min) where you walk throughout the impressive ancient city with your guide. One of the most impressive Roman ruins and important ancient coastal cities, Ephesus attracted the Mediterranean world’s merchants, artists and statesmen for many centuries. Also visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. After touring, drive 20 minutes into the hills to your hotel in Şirince village, once used by residents of Ephesus as a cool mountain retreat. There is time to wander the cobblestone streets amongst the charming stone cottages, where you can shop for homemade fruit wine, herbal soaps, olive oil, and delicious natural foods. Overnight in an Ottoman-style cottage in the village, one of the boutique guest houses of Nisanyan Evleri

Day 4: Tour Bodrum - Board Gulet

Arise to the sounds of chickens and local shepherd’s taking their goats to the hills to graze in this traditional Turkish village which you can explore on a stroll before departing for Bodrum (110 mi/2.5 hr). In Bodrum board your gulet moored in the harbor. Bodrum, once called Halicarnassus, was the major city of the ancient province of Caria. Today Bodrum’s unique architecture, modern seaside taverns and vibrant nightlife have made it one of the busiest coastal resorts in Turkey and a popular spot for wealthy Turks, retired artists and visitors. Visit the tomb of King Mausolus at Halicarnassus.The king’s tomb was oneof the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the word “mausoleum” derives from the king’s name. Also explore the Templar Castle of the Knights of St. John and the Museum of Underwater Archaeology, one of the world’s best.

Day 5: Sail to Greek Island of Kos

Savor a morning cup of coffee as you sail for an hour and a half to the Greek Island of Kos and proceed through Greek customs. Kos has a history that stretches far back through the Mediterranean civilizations. Visit the pretty harbor and the center of town. From here, you walk to the Asclepeion, an ancient temple where in the 5th century BC, Hippocrates started the famous medical center dedicated to Asclepius, the God of Health. Visit the Tree of Hippocrates, where Hippocrates taught students the medicine Greeks had distilled from Persian and earlier sources. Kos’ Asclepeion was once one of the major health centers of the ancient world. Take an easy three mile walk along the ruins and explore the modern town of Kos.

Day 6: Sail to Nissiros - Tilos

Early in the morning you sail to Nissiros, a small island in the middle of the Dodecanese complex, where you disembark and board vehicles for the half hour drive to the rim of the active Nissiros Volcano. Walk into the caldera (easy trail; 1 hour) among steam vents and bubbling pools of sulphur-water. Return to your gulet to set sail to Tilos. Tilos is a volcanic island with more than a dozen secluded beaches. It is studded with historic castles built to control the strategic routes across this part of the Aegean Sea. Geological diversity and the isolated location of the island present a remarkable and distinctive flora and birdlife. Tilos itself has twenty-eight varieties of orchids, eight of which are considered rare. The island has been registered as an EU Special Protection Area. Enjoy the afternoon on the stunning white-sand beaches and scenic trails.

Day 7: Panormitis Monastery - Symi

Cruise to the south side of the Isle of Symi then disembark for a short walk to the 18th century Panormitis Monastery. Hike two miles to a beautiful cove where you meet your gulet and sail to Symi, a small town well-known for its spectacular Neo-Classical harbor. As you approach the town by sailing up the inlet, you are surrounded on both sides of the steep hills by multiple tiers of houses, some white and some pastel yellow, but virtually all with Neo-Classical pediments – a reminder of the 19th century when Symi was one of Greece’s most prosperous islands. Take time to explore the harbor, streets and shops before returning to the gulet for dinner.

Day 8: Sail to Turkish Dacta - Knidos

Today you sail due north to the Turkish peninsular town of Dacta, where you go through customs and re-enter Turkey. Continue across the deep blue waters of the Aegean, hugging the northern coast of the peninsula until you reach the Turkish town of Knidos. After lunch on board, explore the extensive ruins at Knidos, where Sostratos, the architect of the Lighthouse of Alexandria (another of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), and Eudoxus, the astronomer who first calculated Earth’s circumference, were both born. Knidos was one of the most visited Aegean harbours of the Greek and Roman periods, and the old town extends four miles along the waterfront. Much of historic Knidos survives including several ruined temples, two theatres, and fortified walls with the old avenues crossing at perpendicular. Spend the night either in the harbor or at a nearby picturesque cove.

Day 9: Turgut Village - Selimiye

While walking from Knidos to the village of Turgut, you visit one of the village homes to share sage-tea and honey. The villagers are predominantly bee-keepers and peanut-farmers, so you have an opportunity to buy local honey for the rest of the voyage. After strolling through this lovely village, board the gulet and cruise to Selimiye, a sleepy fishing village with a small harbor, a few gift shops and restaurants.

Day 10: Bozburun - Taslica Village

After a relaxed morning stroll in Selimiye set sail for Bozburun. On the way there are many quiet coves with crystal clear waters to choose from, and you explore the most attractive sites for a cool swim before lunch. Disembark in the afternoon and take a short drive to Taslica village. The road rises steeply so the sea and coastal views are spectacular. Taslica village is famous for its "one thousand donkeys" and ancient wells. From Taslica village you hike for 5 miles on an ancient paved track through an equally ancient Carian site called Phoenix and then to the Fjords of Serce. The surface of the two mile segment of your route from Taslica to Carian glitters in the Mediterranean sun as the path is polished by over 2000 years of foot traffic. Meet the boat at Serce Cove, a well protected natural harbor where ships have sought shelter for millennium. One unlucky ship that sank here in the 6th century is exhibited in the Bodrum Museum.

Day 11: Disembark Gulet - Istanbul

Disembark the gulet and say goodbye to your crew before driving to Dalaman Airport for your flight to Istanbul Transfer to the airport for your 1 hour flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival meet and transfer to your hotel located in the bustling Galata district close to the pedestrian promenade of Istiklal Caddesi where you can walk through the lively neighborhood of Beyoglu up to Taksim Square offering an abundance of restaurants, bars, clubs, and shops in close proximity. The remainder of the day is at leisure to relax, explore and reflect on your experience in Turkey. Enjoy farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant.